Globes; To the End of the Earth

     We are part of a local vintage market that takes place a couple of times a year. It's great fun to go from booth to booth, checking out what treasures our fellow hunters have found, and how some of them have re-purposed those treasures!

     One thing we see over and again is vintage globes. The kind your teacher had on her desk when you were in elementary school; the one you twirled round and round while you waited in line to ask a question. These are in demand, some for their historical value, some to be transformed with boldly written travel quotes.

     I enjoy these old globes, and have taken to collecting them when one appears at an estate sale. A globe seems to say, "...there are places to go, people and sights you need to see, just waiting..."

Cram's Scope-O-Sphere World Globe

     

     And maybe it's not so strange that I am intrigued by these globes...

     Before Jesus left the earth to return to Heaven, He gave this instruction to His disciples:

     "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." *

     We have been instructed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere that we could point a finger to when we twirl the globe! This is a big command, one that may look impossible,  but we need to note that He didn't expect us to do it on our own. The power needed to obey Him will come from the Holy Spirit. The opportunities to share the Gospel will present themselves at His leading. We are not alone!

     So where will you be led to share His message of redemption? Your neighborhood? Somewhere else in this country? Or will He take you on a spin to the other side of the globe, and a people group that are waiting to hear His Good News...at the "end of the earth...?"

*Acts 1:8

                                                               

Another Resource Faces Extinction

     Our media is constantly reminding us that the precious natural resources we treasure are dwindling, becoming polluted, facing extinction...

     And we can see this truth for ourselves. We were placed here as caretakers, but more often than not the care we take, is of ourselves. Without concern for the effect it may have on the air, water and plants our lives depend on, we continue to violate these resources, most often for gain.

     My heart is saddened by the need for new and more that our country embraces, and that in part is what keeps me out hunting for treasure. With so many beautiful old pieces of jewelry left, things that have lasted 30 years or more, shouldn't we continue to use them?

This beautiful Victorian necklace is over 100 years old, a unique accessory you won't find everyone wearing!

     But this week end I discovered another treasure that is in peril of extinction:

     Silence.

     At a women's retreat we were challenged to spend two hours in quiet; we read, prayed and listened to see what God might have to say to us.

     As I walked away to find a secluded place my hand reached for my cell phone. It was an automatic gesture, and I was tempted to fill my time catching up with the "urgent" requests that it announced with a flash and hum. It was with great reluctance that I put it away.

    Finally, I settled into a quiet corner of the camp. The building appeared empty except for another person across the room seeking her own solitude. I started reading. I really was hoping to hear from God, there are many things going on in my life right now that require His direction. And He told me He would be there if I would just seek Him...

    The quiet was suddenly broken by music. Speakers I didn't realize were near loudly started playing Christian music. The words were beautiful, and normally soothing - but it was not the voice of God I'd hoped to hear. I debated...should I move...would I find quiet anywhere?

     And there is the problem - the treasure of quiet is becoming extinct. God tells us to "Be still and know" that He is God, that He will be exalted among the nations and in the earth. As quiet disappears, so does our ability to know mighty God. *

     He also tells us that, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength..."* Is it any wonder that we feel weak and overwhelmed by our lives? 

     And then there was this other thing, and maybe it explains why we are allowing silence to become extinct...

     Do we really want to be alone with our thoughts? When they remind us of unresolved conflicts in our relationships with God and people, it is tempting to just turn them off with the flip of a switch. But in doing so we turn off the One who has the ability to heal these conflicts.

    I would like to challenge you to find a quiet place this week, and spend time seeking God. Eventually I found the quiet I was looking for last week end, and I did hear from God as He confirmed His direction for me. If you seek Him, He will be there in the quiet for you too!

     "But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul"    Deuteronomy 4:29

*Psalm 46:10, Isaiah 30:15